Sidetracked by Christmas ‘25

Zadie Smith and Beth Ditto join Annie and Nick for the annual Sidetracked Christmas gathering, recorded at an Irish pub in North London.

They share nostalgia, gossip and gifts, and decide what makes a song a Christmas song – declaring which ones are truly the greatest. Plus, Annie, Nick, Zadie and Beth choose their musical highlights of the year.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk

SONGS

Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You

Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Darling Love – Winter Wonderland

Labi Siffre – Bless the Telephone

Pulp – Common People

Lola Young – Messy

Herman’s Hermits - I'm Henry the VIII, I Am

Dolly Parton – Hard Candy Christmas

ALBUMS

Blood Orange – Essex Honey

Rosalía - LUX

Mavis Staples – Sad And Beautiful World

Pulp - More

Van Morrison - Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast

Marcel Dadi – Dadi’s Folk

Ray Conniff – We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - Christmas With Bert Kaempfert

T.S. Eliot – The Poems of T.S. Eliot